 Good morning everyone. Welcome to BC103 or New Testament survey. Today we're going to study on first and second Timothy. So even before we could begin with our session, may I request one of y'all to please lead us and pray. Sure Prince, please go ahead. Dear Heavenly Father, God, we thank you for this dear Lord Father. We thank you for this gathering, Lord Father. Thank you for bringing us all together in one accord, Lord Father, to sit and to listen to your word, Lord Father, to learn and to know you more, Lord Father, even as we are going to dive into the word, Lord Father. Jesus, we ask you, Lord Father, to give your Holy Spirit, Lord Father, with us, Lord Father, and help us, Lord Father, to understand, to learn and to apply it in our lives and to live according to your word, Lord Father. Come and have your ways, Lord Father. We submit our minds, we submit our hearts into your hands to give you all the glory and honor. In Jesus' mighty presence we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you so much. Okay, let me share the PowerPoint presentation. Give me a minute, please. Everyone are able to view it, right? Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. So we're going to study on both these letters, first and second, Timothy. Do we know who Timothy is? Who's Timothy? Paul's adopted son. So what do we know about Timothy? Yes, Timothy is Paul's spiritual son. So what do we know about it from the scriptures that we study? How much do we know about Timothy? So even before we could study on Timothy, I just wanted to let you all know first and second Timothy and the letter Titus are known as the pastoral epistles or ecclesiological epistles. Because in them Paul gives the instruction to his young leaders how to raise to be a leader, how you need to develop your character, the importance of the character and some of the spiritual oversight as a pastoral care and pastoral care with respect to churches are been instructed in these two letters. He also gives a governing and functioning instruction to the local churches and the responsibilities that needs to be conducted by the leaders in the local church. So if that's one of the reasons why these three letters are being called as the ecclesiological letters or the pastoral epistle. Now we will move on to know about Timothy. Who is Timothy? Who is Timothy? What do we know about Timothy? Yes, Timothy is a spiritual son. What else do we know? Okay, Timothy was born in Lystra, a place called Lystra. Timothy's mother was Jewish in the Acts, in the book of Acts chapter 16 verse 1. Can I request one of you all to please read Acts chapter 16 verse 1. Paul came also to Derby and also to Lystra. A disciple was there named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer but his father was a Greek. Thank you. So what we see from this scripture is that Timothy's mother was a Jewish woman and his father was a Gentile. He was a Greek. Now in 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 5 we see that both Timothy's mother named Eunice and his grandmother named Loyce were strong believers. They had a godly influence over his life of Timothy bringing up in the Jewish culture. So we see that in Acts chapter 14 verse 6 to 23 when we read, we see that he likely came to Christ on Paul's ministry. When Paul was ministering at Lystra in his first missionary journey. So Timothy must have been very young at the age of 15 approximately some scholars say. You would have come across this gospel by Apostle Paul and he would have the same business a lot in Saviour in Apostle Paul's ministry during his first missionary journey after which he was growing more in the Lord. And when we come to chapter 16 in Book of Acts chapter 16 and we read first three verses. I know we read first verse. Can I request one of you to read verse 2 and 3 please? She was well spoken by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places where they all knew that his father was a Greek. Thank you. So Apostle Paul felt the need to release Timothy as a spiritual leader because of the interest Timothy had in the ministry, had in the ministry and he continued to travel along with Apostle Paul. Now as Apostle Paul saw the interest and the urge within Timothy to know more about God and to serve the Lord in the ministry. Apostle Paul felt the need for Timothy to be circumcised because he was ministering among the Jews as well. Because tomorrow the Jews should not raise a question against Timothy or against his leadership because Timothy's father was a Greek. So to avoid any such conflict in future. So Apostle Paul made sure that Timothy was circumcised and it was known to everyone. So that was one of the reasons why Apostle Paul circumcised Timothy in the ministry so that he can serve as a leader in the ministry and there won't be any conflict or objection for his leadership. We also see that Paul used him to visit churches on his behalf and slowly Apostle Paul has been raising a leadership skill in Timothy by giving him the responsibilities. When Apostle Paul is there he made him, he said go visit such churches, strengthen them in the word and in the spirit, bring the reports and while he is addressing the letters he is also commending Timothy on behalf of saying that he is my spiritual son, I am commending him. At the same time he is expecting the church believers to respect him, see him in the leadership role. At the same time we see Apostle Paul is also encouraging the young Timothy do not have the spirit of fear or don't be timid, don't be me. You are the leader, you need to stand, you need to have a good conduct over your life, building a strong character and you need to stand. We also see that. Can I request one of y'all to please turn to Philippians chapter 2 verse 19 to 24. Rin, can you please read Philippians chapter 2 verse 19 to 24. But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be entrenched when I know your state, for I have no one like minded who will sincerely care for your state, for all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know his proven character that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. Therefore I hope to send him at once as soon as I see how it goes with me. But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly. Thank you. So what we see here is Timothy having a close relationship with Apostle Paul. Apostle Paul in fact considered him to be faithful and to be his spiritual son. And as we read in Philemon chapter 1 1 and later in chapter 2 19 also in the other letters like Colossians and also the letter Philippians. We see that Timothy was with Paul in Rome during this first Roman imprisonment. So in the map we see that, you know, let me go to the map. Okay. So in map we see Ephishes where it's marked as 2 Ephishes. Timothy receives a second letter and here we see Rome 1. Rome after his final arrest Paul writes a second letter to Timothy. But what happened here is Timothy accompanied Paul to Rome in his first mission, first imprisonment and he was with Paul assisting him in the prison. So after that in 1st Timothy chapter 1 we see that after Paul was released he accompanied Paul to Ephishes where it's marked as 2. He accompanied him to Ephishes when he seems to have been placed in charge of the church in Ephishes. Because Apostle Paul was giving him the opportunity and training him to be the leader. We also see that Paul gave him certain responsibilities and he allowed him to stay and pastor the church at Ephishes while he traveled to different places. Well Apostle Paul traveled to different places. So we see that, you know, he remained at Ephishes and he took care of the pastoral care of the church and he continued to do the work that was instructed by Apostle Paul. And the tradition suggests that Timothy would have been martyred under the hand of the Roman government. So we don't know exact date when but this is what the history tells about Timothy. So Paul's love for the Ephesian church and his continued love towards the spiritual son developed Timothy eventually to be a pastor and to be a leader. With that we will move on when was 1st and 2nd Timothy written. So there are different viewpoints but we see that 1st Timothy was most likely written after Paul was released from the Roman imprisonment while he was carrying with his work on ministry. So Timothy has been placed as a pastor of the church at Ephishes and Paul was ministering in other places while Timothy was taking care of the church at Ephishes. So probably between 62 approximately 62 to 64 AD the 1st letter to Timothy would have been written. And the 2nd letter to Timothy was written during Paul's 2nd imprisonment at Rome. When he was in the prison and he was about to die he writes the 2nd letter. One of the reason why he gives lot of clues in the 2nd letter about his last days journey in the last few days and he is also addressing each one by name and commanding them. He addresses at least 23 individuals in the letter. With that we will move on to the central theme of this letter the 1st and 2nd Timothy. So when we address the theme of this letter can I request one of y'all to please turn to 1st Timothy chapter 3 verse 14 and 15. Can y'all please read as it is a pastoral epistle. So there's lot of instruction been given to the pastors. So as a pastor ministry leader what are certain things that we need to be watchful and have a contact with us. Okay, yeah if y'all have taken chapter 3 verse 14 and 15 from 1st Timothy I request y'all to please read. These things I write to you. Well I hope to come to you shortly. But if I'm delayed I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is the church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth. Thank you. So here we see Apostle Paul is writing and he's letting Timothy and also each of us know how to conduct ourselves in the house of God which is the church of the living God and he also says it is the pillar the ground of truth. So here are certain issues that Apostle Paul is addressing to Timothy. What is it? He's encouraging he's saying okay it's there on the slide right yeah. Resisting error and false doctrine we are reading from 1st Timothy chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. In all the 6 chapters of 1st Timothy we see that Apostle Paul is addressing certain issues. Firstly he is talking about how to resist the error and false doctrine. How do we resist the error and false doctrine? From the previous letters what do we learn? Should we emphasize on the false doctrine or should we emphasize on the truth that is there in the gospel? Yes we need to emphasize on the truth and look at the gospel. The second you would like to emphasize on guidelines for prayer and public worship. What is the guidelines? He's been instructing all this because there were certain issues even at the church of Ephesus. That's one of the reason why Apostle Paul is addressing these issues, setting up guidelines for the leaders to follow, for the church that will be birthing after that to follow, for you and I to follow. The church that we would be branching out, that we would be launching or starting in future for us to follow. Apostle Paul is giving us the guidelines how to pray in public worship. Third point he talks about guidelines for women in this service. There were certain issues that Timothy had to handle with related to women. We will look into it later. And then I would request you all to please take a look, take a note of all these scriptures, read through this so that we would exactly know what was the issue and what was the instruction of Apostle Paul giving into Timothy and to the church. Third point, guidelines for selecting the elders and deacons. You cannot select anyone as an elder and deacon. There are some guidelines that we need to look at them even before we could raise them up as a leader. If anyone needed, I can definitely share these slides on the stream so that you all can download and go through these scriptures. Even for the class online and for the e-learning, I will definitely be sharing all this. When we see warning against the false doctrine that I've been circulating, the personal challenges to Timothy has been the young pastor of the church. He was a very young leader. Anyone can overpower him. Then your Apostle Paul is writing a letter to the church and also to Timothy, encouraging him to be stern and under this leadership that grow in the gifting and calling that God has given him. The same goes with you and I. At that time that church we see elders or people may overpower us, but then we need to know that God has called us. He has called us and he has gifted us to grow in and through him and to rely on him. And seventh point, we see the guidelines for treating or treatment of church members, including the older saints and widows. How do you address the people in the church? The elders, elderly men and women or the widows who have lost their life partner. The eighth point, guidelines for treating of the elders of the church. Now we see guidelines for slave and master relationship. There should not be any partiality in the church, especially because that was very common practice those days between the master and the slave. But then how to conduct them in the church? Because in the church, we are all on this simple ground. There is no partiality. How should we treat them? The tenth point is warning about the love of money and instruction to the church. So as a leader, let not your mind be set on money or how to become rich. That should be left to God because God knows what we need and He will lead us. But then let not set our heart or mind on that. That should be a least concern. And some of the issues that Apostle Paul was addressing to Timothy in the second letter was personal instruction to Timothy. What was the personal instruction to Timothy as he was a good leader or a soldier in Christ? Apostle Paul was encouraging him. When we read 2nd Timothy chapter 1-2, we see certain things that Apostle Paul is encouraging Timothy with his words. He is telling Timothy, do not be ashamed of the gospel. Maybe Timothy was going through certain challenges. As we know, he was a young leader. He may be going through certain challenges against the false teachers and leaders and against these elders in the church or the widows in the church who are misbehaving with his leadership. So maybe Timothy is going through a tough, challenging atmosphere in his ministry. So Apostle Paul is encouraging him, saying, do not be ashamed of the gospel. Reach the word again and again. Second, he is encouraging him, saying, stand fast in the word of God. Hold on to the word of God because the word of God is the life. It has, it is the doublet's word, it has the power. Hold on to the word of God. Third, he says, be strong in grace. God has given you the grace to handle the church. You see Apostle Paul is not giving up on Timothy. We're not sure what Timothy was going through, what he was addressing to Paul, but then here we see there's a continuous encouragement given to Timothy for him to grow and to be shaped into a strong leader. So he's saying, don't give up on the grace that has been given to you by God. Be diligent in the work of the Lord. Do not waver. Be diligent. And then he says, flee from youthful lust. So just like you and me, even Timothy would have been going through is youthful lust, challenges, handling his adulthood, but then here Apostle Paul is encouraging him. Flee from the youthful lust. And he's lastly saying, avoid foolish and ignorant disputes. Even in the letter of Peter, we see Peter is encouraging us as much as possible. Be in peace with people around you. So, avoid foolish and ignorant disputes or arguments as much as possible. Be in peace with others. Secondly, he's addressing on the warning about apostasy in the last days. People were concerned about the second coming of Jesus and also warning against the last days. So, Apostle Paul addresses on those things in 2 Timothy chapter 3. With that, we will move on to the key verses. There are three key verses from both these letters. 1 Timothy chapter 3 verse 15, he says, if I'm dismayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. This is one of the key verses from 1 Timothy. And in 2 Timothy, we have listed two key verses, says that 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 to 17. We read that all scriptures are given by the inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine. The reproof for correction, for instruction and righteousness. That the man of God may be complete, truly equipped for every good work. Just like how Paul is instructing 2 Timothy is also instructing you and me. Knowing for letting us know that every word in the scripture is important because it is the inspiration of God himself. And in chapter 4 verse 2, the letter to 2 Timothy, we read that, preach the word and be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with long suffering and teaching. So your apostle Paul is telling the young Timothy and the leaders like us saying, be ready in season and out of season. Yes, you have been praying for to open new doors. God will definitely open new doors for each of us. But he's asking us, be ready, be prepared. You never know when you will be caught, when you're called to be ready to share the gospel. Let's look into some of the unique features. The unique features of these letters, first and second Timothy are Timothy's character and personality that we need to look into. When we look into Timothy's character and personality, we can actually compare ourselves or we can relate ourselves to him. Firstly, in 1st Timothy chapter 4 verse 12, can I request you all to read 1st Timothy chapter 4 verse 12. Let's own despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. So we see that he's encouraging Timothy, let no one despise your youth, but be an example to all the believers in word, in conduct, in love and spirit and faith and in purity. Till I come to the attention to reading, to exhortation to doctrine. So just like Timothy Paul is encouraging you and I. It is one of the reason why we need to take a look at our own character. Because character is something that holds our anointing. Character is important. It should be the strong foundation of our ministry. We need to hold on to our character. Our name is very important. Our character is very important, especially when it comes to ministry. When we have been raised as a ministry leader, we need to look at our character. Mostly, Timothy may have been in the age of 40 years and he was living in the culture of those days. And here we see Apostle Paul is encouraging him. Why? Maybe he's addressing to a big church at Ephishes, about 60,000 members. The church had grown, okay, about 60,000. And no doubt that people would have been different age sector would have been in that church, young, old, elders, widows. And certainly Timothy would have gone through a lot of challenges to handle a church as big as this. And he was a very young guy. And the church also know that he's been young and he need a lot of experience. And it is a growing church, a lot of challenges coming in. But praise God that Apostle Paul was backing Timothy in all the ways. In all the ways, giving him his own space for him to grow into the leader that he had to be. To grow in his responsibility that he need to take. To overcome the challenges that he was going through as a youngster. So Apostle Paul, knowing the challenges, he was also giving him that time period. But being a strong pillar behind him, encouraging, motivating and leading Timothy, backing him up in all the challenges that he would have been facing in the church. We also see in chapter 1, that is in 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 6 to 12, when we read. Okay, 6 and 7, can I request all to read please. Therefore, I remind you. 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 6 and 7. Are you able to hear me? Are you able to hear me? I remind you to stir up the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on my hands, on of my hands. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Thank you. Apostle Paul is, you know, encouraging Timothy like stir up the gift of God, which is in you. You get it by laying of the hands by the elders and God has not given you the spirit of fear. Maybe he was very shy, timid, meek. That is maybe one of the reason why Apostle Paul is praying and instructing him and telling him saying that you do not have the spirit of fear, but you have the spirit of power, love and a sound mind. So he is stirring, saying that stirring the gift that is within him and is commanding that spirit of fear to leave him. And he is also encouraging him, do not be afraid of the gospel, but hold on to the truth. And we also see in 1st Timothy chapter 5 verse 23. 1st Timothy chapter 5. If you'll take him, can you please read? No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities. Thank you. So what happens here? Timothy, due to stress in the church, stress and the pressure in the ministry, he's got some problem in his body like something like stomach upset or something to do with stomach ache. Apostle Paul is encouraging him, no longer don't drink just the water, take little wine. So wine in form of a medicine is encouraging him to take that may do good to him. So later part in chapter 4 and also in 1st Timothy chapter 1 and chapter 4 and chapter 6, we see that some of the instruction that Apostle Paul is giving Timothy, like Timothy may have had a tendency toward the philosophical pursuits in the church. So one second, I'm just seeing the slide. So he's addressing some of the philosophical truth that Timothy may have believed or followed in. So he's trying to bring a correction towards that. So in 1st Timothy chapter 4 verse 1 to 5, when we read, Paul is encouraging Timothy to reject the seducing spirits and the doctrines of the devil. That will cause some to depart from the faith. So again and again he's correcting. It's not that Timothy was all perfect. Being a young leader, he did have certain correction need to be corrected by Paul. So and the second thing we see in 1st Timothy chapter 1 verse 4 to 7. Can we turn to chapter 1? 1st Timothy chapter 1 verse 4 to 7. He's saying, don't listen to phabels and endless genealogies that do not build faith and cause many to stray from the truth. So as a young leader, maybe he's giving into all the elderlies, teachings and the fabric stories that the people come up with him. And again, Apostle Paul is being stern and correcting Timothy, telling him, don't listen to some old phabels and endless genealogies because we don't build a faith on them, but we build the faith on the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you go towards teaching on that, if you place your belief on those phabels and endless stories, they may be people who will go astray. And then again, the third correction, reject old wives, phabels, which are contrary to the faith. See, one thing we need to know, the church in Ephesus are from gentile background, people from different faith. So they were trying to bring in their knowledge, their philosophical thoughts and experience into the church and they're trying to influence that with Timothy being a young leader. So Apostle Paul being very stern and correcting Timothy. Timothy don't give in to these phabels or to these old stories and talks. Stand firm, hold on to the gospel and that's the truth. And then fourth, he says, avoid the contradiction of what is falsely called science or knowledge. People may come in and tell Timothy saying that, hey, this is science, this is knowledge, this is what has been believed from our forefathers. It can be towards anything, maybe about the creation, they may be talking about many other things. But here Apostle Paul is warning Timothy and also he's telling us, even we may come across such contradiction even in our ministry. So he's telling avoid the contradiction of what is falsely called science or knowledge when caused some to stray from the faith. And he also says in 2 Timothy chapter 2 verse 16 to 18. Verse 16 to 18, can I request one of y'all to please read. But Shan, profane and idol babbling, for they will increase to more ungodliness and their message will spread like cancer. Inness and pilatus are of this sort. Yeah, we see that he's asking Timothy to shun away from profane and vain babblings that overthrow the faith. So he's asking us to shun away from all that. And later we also see Paul gives a through list leadership qualification in chapter 1 Timothy chapter 3, chapter 3 verse 1 onwards says this is a faithful saint. If a man desire the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. Bishop there must be blameless. The husband of one wife, temperate, sober minded, of good behavior, hospitalable, able to teach. Not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle. Not choral sin, not cowardious. One who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. I'm moving to verse 6, not a novice. Lest been puffed up with pride, he fall into same condemnation as the devil. Seventy says he must have a good testimony among those who are outside. Lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. So he also says likewise from 8 onwards qualification of a deacon. I request all to please read through because he says you should not be double-tongued and not be given into wine, not greedy for money. He also encourages saying that you need to test and then serve as a deacon. He needs to be reverent, not slanderer, temperate, faithful in all things. Deacon must be a husband of one wife, ruling their children and their own house well. And those who have served well as deacon obtain for themselves a good standard and great boldness and faith which is in Jesus Christ. So he is giving the leadership qualification for you to be a bishop or a deacon, what are the qualifications? Some of things which are very important as an elder, we need to have that in our life as a ministry leader. So we will look more closely when we cover the letter to Titus on this. We will move on to the next point. He talks about your outlines of what qualifies a widow for assisting in the church. So what happened? One of the challenges that Timothy faced at the church it officials was the widows in the church demanded Timothy for a daily living. So Timothy being a young leader, so everyone trying to take advantage of him. You know they were trying to say I'm a widow, there's no one to take care of me. So you have to feed me, you have to take care of my daily need. So they tried trying to do church as their house. So it's not about one person. Just imagine a church with 60,000 members imagine how many would have been a widow and how many can Timothy take care personally? So it was a challenge, one of the challenge that Timothy faced. So of course Paul is bringing a guideline to Timothy whom he should take care. Yes, we need to take care of widows because there's no one. But even among widows whom he should take the responsibility of taking care. Whom should the church take care of? So some points I thought we can list it down for us to learn and understand. Okay, I didn't change this. Yeah, so we are on the second point about widows. We see that she should have no children or grandchildren. Only then we can support her. The second point apostle Paul emphasizes is that women should be prayerful, looking up to God for the supply, not Timothy or the church. She should look up to God for a daily provision. Third, she must be a simple frugal living. She should lead a frugal lifestyle, simple lifestyle, not demanding from the church for a daily living. So she should be over 60 years of age where she cannot stand on her own. But then she is depending. So certain widows who are 60 years and above, we can help them out. And also he's encouraging the woman who's been faithful in the marriage to one man. Not the woman who had different marriages, different affairs. We cannot help them. But you look at the woman who was very faithful in her marriage, who was faithful in her character, in her conduct towards one man. She lost him and he is dependent. And the last two points is making a note and who had a good work. Look at the conduct, look at the character of the woman. She should be a good work who has raised many godly children. That means she has invested her life in the church by raising spiritual godly children. She served in the church. She was very hospitable. She served in the church and she was part of many charitable deeds when she was well. Now because she's grown old and she's lost her husband, there's no one to take care of. The church can take the responsibility of such a woman. And because of her diligent in serving God in her younger days when she was strong enough. So these are certain characters or certain things that we need to look at her widow, especially when we tend to help them. And then Paul gives us a great description of the salvation that we have in Christ Jesus. When we read 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 19 he says, in this way they will lay a treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so that they may take hold of the life that is true in Christ. Then we see Paul highlights six different loves that may control the path of one's life. He talks about love for money. So he talks about in 1st and 2nd Timothy both these letters he is addressing certain things where we need to be very careful of one is love for money, love for self, love for pleasure or love for the worldliness. But there are certain things that Paul is encouraging the last two points. Love for God and love to appear in the last days front of God. That means we conduct our life in a godly manner hoping for the greater reward that we may receive in the presence of God. So he is encouraging us to let your pleasure, let your love grow in these two things. That is love for God and love towards conducting ourselves well so that we may receive the greater reward in the presence of God. So Paul describes many roles for a mature believer in these letters especially in 2nd Timothy chapter 2. We see that Paul is encouraging the believers like you and I were raised as a leader in the church. He is saying we need to be a faithful man, a good soldier of Jesus Christ. We need to be an athlete who do not give up easily. We need to have this never giving up attitude in Christ because God is not giving up, it is God's character. And then 4th is encouraging us we need to be a hard working just like the farmer who does not give up on his crop. Then he tells the ground he works hard till he see the crop grow, produce seed and fruit. He also says we need to be an approved worker by God himself when the relationship that we have and God approves the relationship among the people with us and also he is commanding and encouraging Timothy saying that you need to be a vessel of honor. So conduct yourself in such a way that people look at you as a vessel of honor and always remember that you are the servant of God. One of the thing why should we remember that we are the servant of God? Class tell me anyone from online you can go and chat for us to have a humble attitude and have a attitude of service in nature we need to remember always that the servant of God Jesus did not come to be served but to serve. So we need to carry this attitude within us. Later we also see Paul gives more insight into the natural situation towards the end that is in 2 Timothy chapter 4 about his hand as a natural self. He writes about his coming forth death in chapter 4, 2 Timothy let's turn 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 6 to 8 we see that fire for I am ready being pulled out as a drink offering at the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I finished the race I've kept the faith finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only but also to all who have loved is appearing so there are many reasons why Apostle Paul is writing this one is yes he is ready to die and to let us know that he also in his spirit that Lord revealed him that this is his last days and Lord is also showing him that he has completed the race and he is also encouraging you and I as a leader that you know never give up never give up fight till you have strength in your body move ahead whatever it is go spread the gospel hold on to the great commission that God has given to each of us Paul is also speaking about the relationship that we have good and bad times that we may go through he is also saying don't look at the things that do not go well on the earthly ministry okay you may be condemned persecuted falsely accused but do not give up on the relationship on the ministry and Lord has placed within you but hold on to the reward from God do not expect any kind of honour from men for the work that you do at times in the ministry by the other ministry leaders also you may be falsely judged assumed or falsely accused but don't give up your reward is not from men your reward is from God every work that you do every heart attitude every thought that you may have is not hidden in front of God nothing is hidden God knows only for man we need to explain why you did what you did but praise God when it comes to God he is the judge he is the defender you don't have to justify front of God because God knows with what attitude you did so God knows so he is saying our defense is from God just like he speaks about God's defense with Caesar and other people that he had to defend in the ministry he acknowledges that the hand of the Lord was upon him and the same hand of the Lord will be upon you and he gives that final recharge on us so as we end this letter I would like to say just look at Paul's mind his attitude even at the end his attitude is not focusing about false accusation which has been laid up upon him at this point is encouraging the new leader Timothy Titus is raising up leader so that the ministry that God plays in him and his heart will not stop but it will be continued this is something that we need to look at change of perspective having the right attitude even at that last minute knowing that your life on this earth is going to end knowing that your ministry is in India but looking at the other space what is Lord trying to do what is next for me what is God as in store for me when we have the right attitude we can grow in his spirit the ministry that God has planted within you will flourish and grow so this is what apostle Paul did reflect on that and end the session with the word of prayer yeah dear God hi and each of us into your hand Lord I pray like has your hand rested upon apostle Paul and later on Timothy and Titus Lord we pray that the same hand will rest upon each of us groom us to be the leader that you have appointed each of us to be that we may be the carrier of the great commission work in our time in our season Lord that we may fulfill every call every purpose that you have called us Lord we may carry the right attitude just like apostle Paul in our life Lord no matter what circumstance that we may face and come across thank you for your grace Lord that you have placed within us which is stronger which will help us to overcome every challenges every false accusation that we may don't have to handle it but God is watching from above will handle it because he is a defender he is our God the God who called each of us is faithful enough to handle us in Jesus name we pray amen amen thank you class for joining in and we will meet up with the next letter next week thank you God bless